1021 Docks Operating Coy., R.E. C.M.F.
No. 127

Dearest,
Clever Postie!   A letter today, posted by you on 2-5 June, and a dear sweet letter with the exquisite and so apt lines of Mary Webb. Brilliant lines and brilliantly adapted by you.   May you sleep always with ungirt will.    Oh dear, it was nice and is good,   what is the book is in, I didn’t get the names of the ones Johnny Cape sent you because one I couldn’t decipher and the other you left   a blank for.   So glad the parcel arrived, I forgot what was in with the dress material, nuts or sugared almonds?    I forget.   But yes, make a party frock of the mustard,    l thought it was promising myself.   Came from Napoli on my leave.

Straodinary the Administrative David who emerges when he gets the chance, clear headed, delighting in problems, solving several at once, very happy, gay with people, and I wake up fresh and eager, and bed has no pull at all.  I’m out at waking, ready for work, and down to the courtyard as the car comes in and off brisk and gay to the camp, to take parade, address the men, take  orderlyroom, inspect billets, answer telephones and generally deal with everyone.  Its great fun and I am alive in every nerve, because I like it I suppose. Very wide-awake job.   We are with our allies and a nice lot too and I have numerous contacts and briskness with them.   Even got a box of cigars from a Colonel today, good ones, a hundred.

But enough shop, except its great fun and everyone is kind and docile and does as I say and is pleased and doesn’t interfere.

Your letter.  You dreamed on June 3rd.   I too dreamed and had five roses by my side, on my desk and by my bed, one for each lovely year.    1 wasn’t going to tell you that because it is a little silly isn’t it. But I am.  Eileen came in dungarees, and Dickie disapproved of your outgoing with the Spencers and welcomed you.   He is more mobile now.  Dear, how I’d like to have him look at me. You told me of Candy and almonds and Dickie and Candy relationship, and he can do pat-a-cake and I doubt if I can.    But I can or could if I needed, do bo-peep. Do I remember Windsor five years ago?  I do. Yes, I remember Windsor. Chris was up eating almonds and being Chris.   Yes, his parcel of petits fours has gone and yours too.

This is settling down this place, and is lovely.   Flowers, Fuscia, and other dangling cascading purple and red and scarlet flowers on white walled houses and pink and blue houses in the rich sun, and the great blue bay, and sleek lovely yachts leaning across it, and children deep tanned with bleached hair and good teeth and well dressed civilians promenading and soldiers of all kinds, well turned out and brown, and coloured little boats too.   And great ships and animated colour everywhere.   Music too, from windows, and girls singing opera from top flats and an elderly white man playing an oboe sitting by a flower banked island round a statue.

Oh, yes I’ll write to McGrath, he’s the man who likes our books. Sell these things yes indeed, I’ll send a general permission.  Good for you.

Writing shall be done here but not for a while; I am stretched in all my faculties feeding, clothing, housing, moving, playing with, and caring for my three fifty soldiers.    But as things get organised I shall have a smooth working machine to watch over only, if we don’t get uprooted as soon as we settle.

That picture must be getting nearer to you, have you warned Alcester and New Street, the R.T.O. at the latter, saying its an M.F.O. package – Military Forwarding Officer and don’t say it’s a picture, that service is for Personal Effects really.    Just Things.

So He can run on all fours.    So can Candy.   Now they can go walks together, even hunting expeditions.     By the time you get this he will be nearly eleven months.    Its twelve months today since my men joined me on the ship and we set sail. Hum.

If you can liquidate the car do so, we may as well cycle and walk and stay put afterwards but otherwise maybe we can get it to function.    Its really had its day.   What do .you think?

My love to the Beares and Spencers and Hancoxes and Harrisons and Edwards and so on.  I expect I shall find them all unchanged and I’ll be fairly much the same. I wonder.   Not dull and old for you I hope.   When I tell people about my son and add Non ho visto they are very sympathetic.    But I shall see him.

Allan has asked me to go with him for a quiet evening stroll along the front, our flat is on the front, the most expensive end, so I will, he’s so sober and genuine and good.   He’s been writing to Ruth in his room as I in mine write to you.    And I love writing to you.   And I love your letters dear you.